First, where does he get the ideas that blacks were “guaranteed in perpetuity one black seat”? He gives absolutely no facts to back up this assertion because there are none.

He writes that former Mayor Frank Buck maintained a “lock-fisted white control of the Charlottesville Democratic Committee.” No, there were strong African-Americans such as Grace Tinsley and Drewary Brown also leading that committee.

Then Schilling states that a black candidate must “capitulate to the city’s Democratic Party bosses.” Capitulate to what? Democrats do not all agree on the issues.

At the end of the article, Schilling lists what he calls an “engineered succession of black Charlottesville City Councilors.” The truth is that we Democrats put in the time and effort to get those Councilors elected.